Circular Logic
by Rose from the Dark
Summary: L knows Light is Kira. L wishes he wasn't. What can Light do? Or, better question, what does he want to do? This is Light and L's story. LightxL, contains yaoi. Two-Shot!
1. Chapter 1

**This story is LightxL yaoi and at the moment it is a one-shot, but if I get enough reviews I might write more. I don't know yet. So if you like my story and want to keep reading let me know and I'll consider expanding ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or its characters (despite how much I wish I did)**

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**Circular Logic**

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"I know you are Kira," said L.

Light felt his heart skip a beat. He nearly dropped the book he had been reading onto the floor. He took a few moments to regain his composure before answering. "What makes you say that?"

L didn't turn to look at Light. He sat perched on his straight-backed chair looking out over the city. He looked like a bird readying to take flight over the rooftops. "All the evidence points to that conclusion." Like all of L's responses this was concise and to the point. He had no use for unnecessary words.

Light shifted slightly on the couch where he had been lounging; the chain connecting L and Light's handcuffs chinked softly. They had pushed the sofa closer to the window so that L could take up his preferred seat when getting lost in thought. "You said earlier that while there is evidence that suggests that, there is not enough to convict me," returned Light carefully.

"That is true," answered L simply. He wiggled his toes; yet another indicator that he was deep in thought.

"Then why do you insist on bringing up such things?" asked Light, "You know they get us nowhere."

"I know," said L, "And that is the problem." The young detective had yet to move.

"I agree that is a problem," said Light, "For us, and for the entire investigation, as it is untrue. I am not Kira and such thinking will get us nowhere."

"But you are Kira," said L, "And herein lies the problem." The other boy paused for a moment. He turned to look at Light. His irises were so dark they melded with his pupils, giving his gaze a deadly serious effect.

Light always found it hard to meet the other boy's gaze when he looked up at him from under his mat of messy black hair. "As I said," replied Light, finally meeting L's eyes.

"No!" said L suddenly impassioned, "Not as you said." He turned away again before continuing in his passive voice. "The problem is not that such thinking will get us nowhere. I know almost for a fact that you are Kira. The problem is that I don't want you to be Kira."

Light actually did drop his book at this statement. It slid to the floor, landing with a quiet _thud_ on the plush beige carpet. The sun was sinking low in the sky, setting it ablaze with golden hues making L's crouched body into nothing more than a silhouette. "You don't want me to be Kira?" asked Light, struggling to hide the shock threatening to creep into his voice.

"Yes," said L, "And the truth is, I don't know why." The young detective paused. Light saw his frame shift slightly and knew immediately that L was chewing on his thumb nail. A habit he tended to pick up when there was a lot on his mind. He continued, "Normally nothing keeps me from wanting to see a case to the end. To bring justice down on whatever criminal I am faced with. But somehow, Light Yagami, you are different."

Light didn't answer. He sat up and picked his book up off the floor, flipping through the pages to find the one he had lost. He had read this book before, he knew the ending was not particularly happy, tragic even, but where he had left off did not reflect the novel's overall tone at all. The characters had found a moment of contentedness amidst the horror. Light placed the bookmark on the page, wondering briefly if the characters wished they could just live those few pages over and over again. If they could rewrite the tragic ending into a happier one. No climax, but no sorrow. Only peace.

But of course they were only characters in a book, so it did not matter.

"How am I different, L?" asked Light.

L turned in his chair, still perched lightly on his bare feet. One hand gripped the curved wooden chair back, while the other hovered near his lips. "It's hard to say," began L. It was hard to tell through his somewhat monotonously logical voice, but he sounded a bit nervous. "I guess it's just that you make me happy, Light." He offered a small smile that lit up his face. It almost seemed to erase the dark bags that made their home under his wide eyes. Light detected traces of a blush appear on the other boy's face and felt his own mirror the reaction.

"Really?" asked Light. He tried very hard to keep the surprising, but not unwelcome shock from his voice, but he was unsure of whether or not he succeeded.

"Yes," said L matter-of-factly, "I felt that you should know that." He paused for a moment, looking up and picking at his lip with his thumb and forefinger. Light had a sudden urge to pull L's hand away from his mouth to save his lips from any more abuse, but suppressed it. The thought somewhat scared Light, however; where had it come from? L apparently did not notice Light's internal debate as he continued, "To be honest I don't know why I'm telling you this. I usually don't share errant thoughts like that unless they relate to the case that I am currently working on." He paused again, then met Light's eyes and said, "It just seemed like it needed to be said. Do you what I mean?"

Light did. He knew exactly what L meant and it scared him almost as much as the last passing thought about the young detective. But it didn't scare him enough to stop him from answering a very truthful, "Yes."

Their faces were very close at that point. L was on the balls of his feet, leaning over the back of the chair. Light had turned, kneeling on the couch cushions to make his face level with the other boy's.

L smiled again. "I'm glad," said L and Light knew he was not lying.

Suddenly the door opened, causing both of the boys to start; Light much more gracefully than L, who had nearly fallen off his chair. Light quickly sat back on the couch, crossing his arms in what he hoped looked like a very casual way.

"Misa has returned!" said the actress, excitedly upon entering the room. Her blonde was styled meticulously and her clothes unnecessarily bedazzled, or at least they were in Light's opinion.

"Hello Misa," said Light, his voice cracking involuntarily. L had returned to his preferred position, back to the world, mind to the sky.

"Ooh," said Misa, "What has Misa walked into. Lovers caught in the act?" Light felt blood rush to his face. He could almost feel L stiffen in his chair. Misa apparently took no notice. She just laughed and said, "I was just kidding. Misa knows her Light would never do that to her."

She skipped across the room and sat down beside Light, draping her arms around his shoulders and planting a kiss on his cheek. It was his turn to stiffen.

"Oh," said Misa, "Light seems stressed."

"Not stressed," said Light, "I just have a lot on my mind."

Misa hugged him, which he endured, but did not enjoy. He found that his thoughts lingered elsewhere. Light was glad when Misa began to chatter about her day, only needing the occasional response of "yes," or "I see," before continuing. It gave Light a chance to think about other things… or rather other people…

* * *

It wasn't until much later that night that Light and L were alone again. Light could feel a tug on the handcuff's chain through the closed bathroom door. Light ignored it and stared into the bathroom mirror, studying his face. Apparently the face of a killer could come in any form as it was unlikely that anyone would pick a face like his out of a lineup and call it that of a murderer.

But that was what he was now. His auburn hair fell casually around his thin face. His brown eyes narrowed in thought. It could be the face of any college student. But the thing was, it was not.

He was a murderer. He was Kira.

He left the writing to Misa, as he was handcuff to the one person who suspected his identity. But that did not change the fact that he, Light Yagami, was the mastermind behind the killings.

But L had said he didn't want him to be Kira. The memory of the afternoon's conversation seemed to play on repeat in his head.

L had been there as a presence, an annoyance, a rival, a friend since Kira's emergence, but Light had given little thought to any of those things before now. But now the other detective's face floated ceaselessly in his mind's eye. The messy black hair that fell over his dark eyes. Eyes that were always calculating. Eyes that looked endearingly up at whoever made a good point.

A knock on the door pulled Light out of his reverie.

"Light?" asked L, "Are you almost done? I would like to be able to move away from the bathroom door." Light smiled. L was always authentic.

"Impatient, are we?" asked Light, opening the bathroom door. He had to suppress a laugh when he laid eyes on L, who was sitting in his crouched position on the floor outside of the bathroom door. Before him sat a tower of sugar cubes stacked nearly two feet high.

"No," answered L, "But I ran out of blocks." He gestured to his makeshift tower.

"I don't think that justifies your answer," pointed out Light.

"Oh, but you see it does," said L, in that rushed, excited, slightly less monotonous voice he gets when explaining something he takes interest in, "Every night since we've been handcuffed together I have built a tower out of these cubes. It has taken me the same amount of time each night –I timed it. The same amount of time it takes you to ready yourself for bed in the bathroom. But tonight I built the tower twice and you were still not out of the bathroom. Therefore my asking you if you are done does not qualify me as impatient, but qualifies you as slow." L smiled upon finishing his explanation. He was looking up at Light, eyes shining despite their dark coloring.

Light actually did laugh at this, but in a friendly manner. "You're odd L," said Light, "There's no denying it."

"I was not trying to deny it," said L as he busied himself with meticulously placing each cube in a small yellow box.

"Now look who's being slow," teased Light.

"Uh-uh," said L, not looking away from his work, "If you had had not been slow earlier I would have put these all away already. I included the time it takes me to replace the blocks in the time I mentioned earlier."

Upon finishing L stood up, leaving the yellow box against the wall, apparently for use the next night. Light followed L over to his bedside table. Beneath it was a safe, where the key to their handcuffs was locked away. Light looked away as L spun the dial to the right combination and took out the key. He did this twice a day to allow them to dress and undress. They had been past the point of blushing as they shared a room to change in, but suddenly Light felt quite subconscious as he removed his day clothes and pulled on pair of loose gray sweatpants. He generally did not wear a shirt to bed. L, on the other hand, dressed very similarly night and day; the only noticeable thing being that he swapped his loose jeans for loose sweats like Light.

L quickly replaced the handcuffs and put the key back in the safe upon their finishing.

Due to the handcuffs they, of course, had to share a bed, something that also took Light a while to get used to. But now the presence of the other detective at his side, even when asleep, had become more of a comfort than a nuisance.

They both settled silently beneath the covers, L pulling them up so they nearly covered his entire face – only his eyes were visible – and Light pushing them down to his waist. They were silent for a moment, but both knew the other was far from sleep.

Light decided to break the silence, he spoke softly into the semi-darkness; the only light came through the cracks around the curtains drawn over the windows. "If I were Kira," said Light, knowing he was treading in dangerous waters, "Would what you said earlier still hold true?" He knew L would understand what he meant.

Light heard the other boy turn and knew L's eyes were on him when L answered, "I said, what I said earlier after stating that I knew that you were Kira, meaning I assumed you were – and still are for that matter – Kira when I said it. So the only answer that would be true is yes."

Logic. L's safety, thought Light, but he said aloud, "I understood clearly everything you said earlier in a logical sense, but I am not looking for such an answer. I want to know what you personally think."

Light turned to L as he contemplated that for a moment. They were now both lying on their sides facing each other, faces, once again, noted Light with a blush, very close. He was glad that for the cover of semi-darkness that leached all colors from their sight.

"I would still say that Light Yagami makes me happy," he concluded.

But Light was not satisfied. "That still avoids the main question. If I were Kira, as well as Light Yagami, would that still hold true?"

"I have never had the problem of my mind taking two positions on a single point," mused L, "Until now. I want to say that no, that Kira could cause me no sense of happiness. But at the same time, I know that would not be the complete truth, that is, if you were Kira." L had lifted his free hand to his lips and was now chewing his thumb.

Light was honestly unsure of how to respond to that. It seemed that his mind was just as torn as L's. He made to turn onto his back, but in his movement his cuffed hand brushed against something. L's cuffed hand. Both of them froze, if only for a moment. But long enough for Light to register the soft touch of L's cool hand against his own and the slight hesitation of both to move away and break contact.

Thoughts suddenly scrambled, it took Light a long time to find sleep.

* * *

The next few days seemed to pass in a blur, only a few moments sticking out as worthy of closer examination. Neither Light nor L brought up the conversation, but it was clear that it took precedence over all else in each of their minds.

"So basically we're no closer to catching Kira than before," whined Matsuda at a meeting that had dragged on for far longer than necessary. Light knew the basic gist of the conversation, but he wasn't paying much attention to what was going on. His mind kept drifting involuntarily back to the detective chained to his side.

But he felt that as a detective on this team, bent on keeping them away from the truth he should contribute, as to not appear suspicious. "That is not necessarily true Matsuda," said Light, "Even the smallest piece of evidence can have a great impact on solving the case as a whole. We can't give up just because we've reached a roadblock now. Our destination could be just beyond it. We'll never know what lies beyond if we just give up now." Light was standing by the end of his small speech, hands down on the table, fingers bent slightly on the wooden surface.

Light felt a cool hand cup itself over his own, thumb lightly stroking over his skin before pulling away. He looked down to see L smiling up at him, black hair pushed messily back away from his face. "I like your spirit Light-kun," said L cheerily.

Light felt his heartbeat speed up as he fought to keep the blush away from his face and answer in a calm voice, "Thank you L." He even managed to return a small smile. Well the smile wasn't difficult to manage, but trying to keep it reigned in from the huge grin trying to take over his face was.

Light wasn't even sure why the slight touch and praise affected him so much. No one else seemed to notice and L was well on his way into a spiel about what evidence they had so far for the Kira case. He did not, however, mention his suspicion of Light being Kira, a change from previous meetings of this sort.

Another day they were alone in the main room of the investigation, each were sitting before their own computers examining evidence. Well, L was examining evidence, Light was sifting through files, thoughts elsewhere. They had been doing this in silence for nearly an hour when L spoke.

"Light?" asked L, turning away from the computer screen and towards Light. His knees were drawn up close, his mouth hidden behind them.

"Yes L," answered Light, glancing over at the other boy for a moment before looking back at this own screen. He found it easier to control his heartbeat if he only took in L's image in small doses.

"I was wondering if I could get your opinion on some evidence…?" asked L hesitantly, although as to why he should be tentative about such a request, Light did not know.

"Sure," said Light pushing himself up and out of his chair, "Although I don't know why you'd want help from someone you suspect is Kira."

"No!" said L quickly, effectively stopping Light's motion, "I'll bring up the file on your computer."

Light sunk back into his chair as L leapt silently out of his own. His bare feet made no noise as they padded against the floor. Moments later Light could feel L's presence behind him. The other boy lightly reached around Light, ensnaring him between his arms as he taped his fingers on the keyboard.

"I wanted your help," aid L as he sifted through files on the screen, "Because I enjoy hearing your opinion." Light thought that L sounded sincere but it was hard to tell as he was very distracted by the feel of the detective's warm breath on the back of his neck.

Light found it very hard to stay focused on the matter at hand with L so close, but at the same time, when the other detective pulled away Light wished he hadn't

These thoughts were still on Light's mind when he emerged from the bathroom that night, they were each already dressed for bed. L was already standing, the little yellow box of sugar cubes pushed back against the wall.

"I see that I didn't take too long tonight?" questioned Light.

"Nope," responded L with a smile, "Right on schedule."

L turned to head towards the bed, but was stopped short by the chain connecting the two. Light had yet to move. L turned back and looked at Light with wide eyes, head cocked to one side as if in question.

Light knew he had to say it quickly before losing his nerve. He hesitated only slightly before saying in a rush, "I think there are some things we need to talk about, L."

L was still looking up at him, head now cocked to the other side, saying nothing.

Light could feel the blush creeping up onto his face. "I mean," said Light quietly, "I just thought…" He trailed off, unsure of what he just thought.

L suddenly smiled. "I understand what you just thought," said L walking back over to Light. There was very little space between them now. "But I didn't think it was something that needed talking about."

Light looked down at his feet, feeling both hurt and confused at the same time. "Oh," began Light not sure where he was going with the sentence.

But apparently he did not need to finish. L lifted his free hand and pressed a finger against Light's lips, stopping his attempt at speech. "Now you misunderstand me," said L, his voice barely more than a whisper.

L dropped his finger and the two just looked at each other for a moment. Very still until…

L leaned forward quickly and pressed his lips lightly to Light's and then pulled back. But Light wasn't going to let him go that easily. He reached an arm around L's waist and pulled the other boy close. This time he was the one to close the gap between their lips. And then they were kissing again. Lips moving ceaselessly and silently against each other, tongues fighting for dominance that Light seemed to win. But it was obvious that L did not mind as he let his body sink into Light's hold, arms reaching up, hands running lightly through his auburn hair.

After a while L pulled back slightly, and then proceeded to bury his face in the base of Light's neck. His messy black hair tickled Light's face, but that didn't stop him from lightly running his hands through it.

"You know," mused Light aloud.

"Hmmm?" was L's muffled response.

"I'm glad we decided not to talk about it."

L lifted his head and met Light's eyes, "I think it worked out much better this way. Don't you?" He lightly kissed Light again after finishing the question.

"Yes, it did," answered Light, returning the favor with a kiss of his own. "And you know what else?" continued Light.

"Mmm?" was the only response L seemed to be able to manage as he had taken to lightly kissing the base of Light's neck. Each touch sent a tiny shiver of pleasure through his body.

"We could always not talk about it some more," said Light. L lifted his head and Light looked pointedly to the side. Towards the bed.

L smiled hugely and Light couldn't help but follow suit. "I would definitely be okay with that," said L. They leaned forward and were kissing once again.

* * *

Light awoke to find L snuggled up against him, head resting on his shoulder, sound asleep. Light smiled down at the other boy as he had done every morning this past week since… Light smiled again and shifted slightly so he could reach the top of L's head a plant a light kiss there. L stirred and light felt his eyes flutter open, eyelashes brushing against his bare chest.

"Good morning," said Light.

"Judging from the position of the sun, I don't think you can technically call this morning," said L eyeing the sun's rays streaming through the curtain.

Light laughed softly, "I think I can technically call it whatever I want."

"You could," said L, "But the fact that the sunlight is coming through that window at all means that the time is well afternoon. So technically you'd be wrong."

"I guess I'm just not used to waking up when it's not morning," said Light, "I blame a certain somebody for keeping me up half the night." L looked up at Light and blushed.

"Well it's not every day that they give their two top detectives the day off," said L.

"I think it could be like this more often if the Kira case keeps going nowhere, like it is now," said Light, casting L a pointed glance.

"I told you from the beginning that I did not want you to be Kira," justified L, "And let's face it, this is not exactly helping my lack of motivation in solving this case."

Light thought about his companion's words for a moment, noticing how their evident truth applied to him as Kira, as well. Obviously he was not really trying to solve this case, he could not carry out his plan for justice if caught, but he had been trying to eliminate L. _Eliminate L_. He nearly shuddered at the thought. The thought seemed to cause physical pain for his body, which seemed to always ache for the other boy's presence.

L seemed to sense his inner turmoil as he asked with a frown, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," said Light quickly. A little too quickly.

"Light, I'm considered to be one of the greatest detectives in the world. My competition is basically nonexistent, as my top competitors for jobs are my other aliases. You can't fool me that easily. I know what is bothering you. What had been bothering you for some time now." L paused for a moment as if giving Light time to give his own input, but the other boy remained silent. L continued, "As Kira your main goal should be to eliminate me. But now you are unsure of your motives. You still want to bring your sense of justice as Kira, but you are unable to get rid of the biggest threat to your new world order."

L paused again, as if to let that sink in. It was the truth and both Light and, apparently, L knew it. However, L was not finished. "I know this to be true because I am facing a similar dilemma. One that I made clear to you at the start of all this. I want to see the Kira case through to an end that corresponds to my sense of justice, but I don't want to lose you."

Light reacted to these words immediately. He wrapped his arm around L's shoulders and pulled him close, sitting up slightly in the process. He took up L's hand in his own and pressed it against his lips. "I would rather die than lose you," said Light.

L smiled sincerely before saying. "I hope that's true, because I have devised a simple test to check. One that if you fail, at least by my standards, I die. But dying would be preferable to living with you behind bars, forever separated from me."

Light couldn't comprehend how L managed to say that last statement so calmly. "So what is this test?" asked Light curiously.

"Well," started L, but he was cut off by a loud knock on the door, "I guess I'll have to explain later," he said with a smile. L quickly disentangled himself from Light's arms and slid over to his own side of the bed. Light and L had decided not to tell the others of their relationship. They doubted it would be something any of the others approved of, but it was none of their business anyway so it did not really matter.

"Come in," called Light.

"Are you two still sleeping?" said Misa, opening the door to their room, "Even Misa's awake by now. Don't worry, Misa won't let you waste anymore of your day."

"I wouldn't say any part of this day has been a waste," said Light casting a mischievous smile at L, which he returned with a blush. Misa didn't seem to notice. She scurried over to the bed and wrapped her arms around Light. He pat her softly on the back, all the while looking over at L, trying to convey with his expression that he would much rather have L hugging him than Misa.

"Up and at 'em boys," said Misa drawing back, "It's breakfast time!"

"And breakfast is in the morning, right Misa?" asked Light as he and L climbed out of bed.

"Of course it is," answered Misa, "My Light asks such silly questions sometimes."

"Just checking," said Light casting a pointed glance at L as Misa exited the room before them.

"This doesn't prove anything," said L.

"Sure it doesn't…" responded Light with a smile. He placed a quick kiss on the other boy's lips before they both followed Misa's lead into the other room.

* * *

"Okay, Misa has decided to make breakfast for her Light-kun," said Misa excitedly, pushing her blonde hair back behind her ears, "And, of course, for Ryuzaki-kun too, now that he and my Light-kun are inseparable."

Misa scurried from the main room into the kitchen of their apartment, leaving the two alone. They were sitting close on the same couch; fortunately, with the handcuffs, no one thought it odd that they were always sitting by one another.

"My Light-kun," mused L, "I like it. I may have to start using that one."

"Ugh," said Light, leaning his elbows on his knees and covering his ears, "Please don't. I don't want any more reminders of MisaMisa than necessary."

"What? Light doesn't like the way Misa _always_ refers to herself in the third person," teased L.

"Shut up," said Light playfully, "Or I may have to tell Misa you're her biggest fan."

L shuddered. Light was unable to tell if it was an act or not.

"Fine," said L, "We'll agree not to cause each other bodily harm." He scooted closer to Light and leaned against his shoulders. His knees were drawn up, bare toes hanging off the edge of the cushion.

"Sounds like a plan," said Light, putting an arm around L's waist.

"But Light-kun?" asked L quietly, his voice suddenly serious, "What are we going to do about MisaMisa? And the rest of them?"

Light knew immediately what he meant. The two young detectives were becoming close very quickly. Close enough that Light never wanted to not be close with this boy again. Close enough that it was becoming work to hide their relationship from the rest of the team. Fortunately none of the other investigators were quite as apt to notice detail and Misa, for the moment at least, was nothing more than a harmless nuisance. Although a necessary one if he was to continue being Kira.

"I don't know," said Light, and that was the truth.

L was silent for a moment before saying. "I have thought up a plan of action. For both of us, if you'll agree to it."

"What is it?" asked Light excitedly.

"I can't tell you," said L, "At least not yet. It all depends on how this test goes. I know you and I know that there is about a fifty-seven percent chance that you will do what I am hoping for. If that happens then I can tell you my plan."

"Fair enough," allowed Light, "So what is this test?"

L was about to answer when the door from the kitchen opened. They quickly separated, getting a good foot of space between them before Misa laid eyes on them.

"Misa has got your food all ready!" said the actress. She was holding two plates, one with scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast, and the other with cake topped with strawberries. Light immediately knew whose meal was whose.

She set down the plates on the coffee table before them. "Dig in!"

"Thank you Misa," said L cordially.

"Yes, the thought is nice" said Light, "But can you really call that breakfast?" he said referencing L's mound of sweets.

"Oh shush, my Light-kun!" said Misa, sitting on the couch opposite them.

"Yes Light-kun, shush," chimed in L as he picked up one of the strawberries lightly between his thumb and forefinger, holding it out away from his face before plopping it in his mouth. "Besides, I thought we decided that breakfast is to be eaten in the morning and this is not morning."

"But then we decided that whenever you eat breakfast, that time of day is morning," returned Light.

"I think one of us is using circular logic," said L, "So this argument will go nowhere."

"I don't think it's the circular logic that is causing this argument to go nowhere," said Light, "I think it may be the fact that I don't even remember what started this argument in the first place."

"True," said L.

"Misa always feels like she's missing something big when she's around Light-kun and Ryuzaki-kun," whined the actress.

Light and L caught each other's gaze for only a moment before both started laughing.

* * *

It was nearly time for bed again when Misa finally left the two detectives alone. L had just unlocked their handcuffs so that they could change into comfier clothing before sleep. But instead of relocking the connecting cuffs, L merely put the chain on his bedside table and locked away the key.

He walked up to a surprised Light and pressed a cool hand to his cheek. He then leaned in and kissed the other boy before saying, "This is the first part of the test," whispered L.

"To make sure I don't go anywhere?" asked Light confused. There was nowhere he wanted to go without L.

"It's not necessarily where you go," said L, "But what you do. There is more to the test than not being handcuffed." L paused for a moment and leaned in and kissed Light again. This time was much fiercer. L's lips moved roughly against his own, tongue brushing trying to find its way in. Light obliged, lips parting, as he pulled the other boy closer to him with both free hands. He was not sure how long they stayed like that, but when they broke apart, Light could see tears streaking down L's face from shining eyes.

"There is one more part to the test," said L, his voice barely audible in its slightly husky tone. Light wanted to hug the other boy and never let go, but he knew he must hear the next sentence if he and L were to have any future together. L leaned in close before continuing, his mouth against Light's ear.

He whispered a name. That was all. It would mean nothing to a stranger, but to Light, to Kira, it meant everything. Light didn't need an explanation to know the name's significance. To know that it was L's real name.

L drew back. "I am going to bed now Light-kun. You are free to do as you wish," L paused before adding hesitantly, "See you in the morning." Light could feel the unspoken question in his voice.

L went over to the bed, climbed in, and turned off the light, leaving Light alone standing alone in the dark.

* * *

Light knew immediately what he had to do.

He left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He stole quietly through the main room of the apartment and through the kitchen. On the other side there was another large sitting room. And on the far side of that was Misa's room.

Light cautiously opened Misa's door, peeking inside to make sure Misa was really asleep. She was. Light opened the door the rest of the way and crept inside. He took one quick look around before retrieving the Death Note from the hiding spot he had found for to use. He scrawled a quick note to of instructions for Misa and stuffed it in the Death Note's hiding place. She was sure to find it in the morning. Light felt an odd sort of excitement building up in his chest as he left her room, closing the door behind him.

Light took the Death Note out into the sitting room and sat at a desk already littered with paper. He took out a writing utensil. And with a deep breath he set pen to paper and began to write.

* * *

Light awoke the next morning to an empty bed. A strange sensation of loss stabbed at his heart as he took in the emptiness. It was too disturbing to allow Light to go back to sleep, so instead he got up.

He exited the bedroom and smiled. There, perched in his favorite seat, was L. He turned when Light entered the room a huge smile plastered on his face as well.

"So did I pass the test?" asked Light.

"I think I should let you answer that," said L, still grinning.

"Well, would you like to hear about the part where I did not write your name down," said Light as he approached the other boy and placed a light hand on his shoulder, "Or where I gave up being Kira?"

"Stories are best when told from the being," said L, getting up from his perch, and taking Light's hand. The feeling of their fingers interlaced was very pleasant.

"Well," began Light, "I took the notebook from Misa and left her a note telling her to forfeit the Death Note, so she will know nothing, and continue being the useless fool she was meant to be. I then sent the Death Note away to someone who I think will make a suitable replacement Kira," Mikami had shown much promise during his appearances on Sakura TV, "But I won't tell you who. I'll leave that for our investigative team to work out."

"Fair enough," said L smiling.

"Now can you explain your plan?" questioned Light.

"The part where we just run away together," said L "Or the part where I tell you I love you?"

Light put his arms around the other's boy's waist and pulled him close. L's arms rested lightly around his neck. "Stories are best when told from the beginning," said Light, "And I have a feeling this one is just getting started."

L smiled. "I love you."

Light smiled. "I love you too."

And then they both leaned forward, lips meeting halfway. And there they stayed as the sun rose over the city, content to begin their own story. Together.

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**So what did you think? Leave a review if you liked the story ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

**So back a long time ago I had talked about expanding this story... and I finally did... six months later (but better late than never, right?). Anyway, think of this as a continuation of the story in the first chapter. It's basically another one shot moment of Light and L's life after they leave the Kira investigation.  
**

**Also, I dedicate this chapter to my Roommate (I finally wrote more Death Note for you! ^_^)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note  
**

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"You've gotta be kidding me," said the boy, sitting across the table from Light, between munches on his partially unwrapped candy bar, "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Mello, I can assure you one hundred percent that I am not kidding," said L in his monotonous logical tone, "Light Yagami is my boyfriend."

Light was past the point of blushing when L so callously pointed this fact out. He even managed a good-humored smile, which, considering the situation he was in right then, was quite a feat.

It had been over six months since Light and L had, in so clichéd a manner, declared their love for each other and Light had yet to regret anything that had happened since. He had given up being Kira for L, passing the notebook on to Mikami, who understood how to make Kira's decisions, but not how to execute them in an inconspicuous manner. He was caught by the Japanese Police force within a month.

By that time, however, Light and L were long gone.

No, they hadn't eloped, at least not yet, but they had decided to explore the world, travelling wherever their whims took them. Eventually and inevitably their (or more specifically L's) whims took them back to the detective's childhood home: Wammy's House.

Which had in turn landed them here: cramped in a too small booth at the back of a restaurant, much too fancy for their motley crew. Light had no problem meeting L's family, but he felt that _this_ was not really necessary. Light tugged anxiously at his collar, very aware that he, in his sport's jacket and tan slacks, was by far the most formal of the makeshift family.

"That's bullshit," said the blonde boy named Mello who was wedged into the corner across from Light. He had somehow managed to pull one leather-clad leg up onto the seat and lean it against the wall. Equally surprising was his ability to consume so much food while keeping his tight black leather vest in place. Well, Light assumed it was in place, but it left the boy's midriff bare in such an effeminate manner that Light couldn't be sure. Mello's blue eyes were darting back and forth between L and Light in obvious disbelief.

"Mello," said Watari, who was sitting on the far side of L, "That's enough." His voice was commanding yet dignified coming from beneath his pulled down hat. The collar of the trench coat Watari had yet to take off was pulled up over his face as well. He looked like a regular private eye out of an old film.

"I have to agree with Mello on this," said the boy sitting furthest from Light, the outside seat of the booth on the opposite side of the table, as he pulled absently at a lock of his shockingly white hair. Hair that matched his equally as white clothing, bleached and colorless down to his socked toes, which rested, liberated from their shoes on the seat. His knees were drawn up like L's.

"Even boy wonder's agreeing with me," said Mello, "I must be right. I mean you call out of the blue saying you want us to meet your lover at dinner tonight - that was weird enough. But we come here and find out your lover's a frickin' guy?" He finished with a disdainful snort and took another bite out of his candy bar.

The quiet boy, sitting between the albino and Mello, turned to look at the blonde boy. Light could see a faint trace of blush cross his fair complexion as he said, "I don't think that's what Near meant, Mello." He leaned back and pulled a cigarette out of the pocket of the brown vest he wore over his black and white striped long sleeved tee. But a stern "Hmph," from Watari caused him to put it away. He ran a gloved hand through his very red hair as he leaned back against the seat. Light could see his green eyes glowering even through the other boy's orange goggles.

"Matt's right," said the white-haired kid, apparently named Near, "I meant that it's odd that you, L, would take a lover that was until very recently the main suspect in the Kira case. What's to say that he isn't Kira? He could very easily have just passed the notebook to another to throw off suspicion with plans to reclaim his power when everyone least suspects it."

Light noticed L's lips twitch and knew the other boy was suppressing a smile. They, themselves, had already discussed every possibility and L believed Light, which was fortunate as Light really was telling the truth. He was no longer Kira.

"I can assure you," said L, "That my boyfriend is not Kira." The glances exchanged between the three boys across the table told Light that they did not believe him.

Near cocked his head to one side. "But how?" he asked.

L was about to answer when Watari cut in. "If L thinks that Light is not Kira, then Light is not Kira," said the older man, "You seem to forget that he was head of the Kira search for quite some time."

Mello snickered under his breath and muttered, "Funny how Kira wasn't caught until after they left, then." Watari seemed to have not heard him. Or he ignored him. Light would have ignored him too if he could have.

Fortunately, however, Light was saved the trouble of having to pretend as a waitress, dressed neatly in a white button up shirt and black pants appeared at the head of their table. "Good evening… gentlemen," said she, and Light couldn't help but notice, with a suppressed grin that she had paused on the word 'gentlemen' eyes lingering on Mello to make sure he actually was of the less fair sex before continuing. "What can I get for you today?"

There was silence for a moment before Watari cleared his throat and said, "I'll have the filet mignon, medium rare."

"Of course sir, and you?" It was very clear that she was talking to Near and very clear that he did not notice in the slightest as he traced patterns on his menu with a slim index finger.

So Light decided to jump in. "I'll have the swordfish." The waitress nodded and scribbled a note on her pad of paper, very unaware that that was the last of the relatively normal orders.

"Do you have a kid's menu?" inquired Near, quietly, looking up at the waitress through his white hair. She looked down at him, obviously unsure of his age. Even Light could scarcely fathom a guess at that.

But she quickly gave in, apparently deciding that deducing Near's actual age was far more trouble than it was worth. He took the menu from her, rapidly scanning it, before handing it back to her with a placid order of, "Chicken fingers."

"Alright," she said, "And for you?"

She was looking at Matt who stretched and said lazily, "I'll take a cheeseburger. Extra on the cheese. And make sure they don't put a pickle on the plate. The juice gets everywhere, it's _disgusting_."

"_The juice gets everywhere," _mocked Mello in a whiny voice. "Priss," he scoffed and Matt's face flushed red.

"Says the one wearing lace-up leather," said Matt.

"Says the one wearing goggles _indoors_," said Mello.

"You can't use the same insult back at me," Matt pointed out in what he must have thought was a reasonable tone.

"Says who?"

"Says-"

"_Boys_," cut in Watari, sternly. The two fell silent as the waitress struggled to keep any reaction to this whole odd situation off of her face. Only a few crinkled lines in her forehead betrayed her. Light found this somewhat impressive and a bit entertaining.

But not nearly as entertaining as the look on her face when L ordered. "I will take your strawberry cake," said the detective definitively.

"For your dinner?" asked the waitress, a little skeptical.

"Yes."

"The cake is rather large, sir. I don't know if you saw in the menu, but it says it is usually shared among eight to ten people. It's a lot of cake."

"I did in fact read the menu," said L calmly, "So yes I know what it says. I will take one whole strawberry cake for my dinner." He brought a hand up to his lips and let it hover there for a moment before adding as an afterthought, "Please."

Light allowed a small smile at the detective's intriguingly odd, yet infinitely adorable antics. Light was also very aware of how completely and disgustingly _mushy_ that thought was, but he had finally come to terms with the fact that that was just how one thought when one was in love.

To her credit, the waitress seemed rather unfazed by the time she took the last order, which was Mello's. Light barely knew the kid and he could already guess that this was going to be the strangest order of them all.

"So," said Mello, taking a bite out of his candy bar and chewing thoughtfully before continuing, "You have chocolate for, you know, cooking and stuff, somewhere back in that kitchen of yours, right?"

"Yes," said the waitress, a little warily.

"Good," said Mello, "Then I would like a slab of your finest chocolate served to me on your finest platter. Silver preferably, but I'll take gold if you've got it."

"Is that all?" asked the waitress. She sounded considerably more tired than she did at the beginning of their little ordering escapade.

"Can I have some chocolate syrup on the side?" asked Mello, "You know, as dipping sauce."

"Me too!" chimed in Matt. This earned him several weird looks from around the table. "What?" he asked defensively, "Chocolate tastes good on _everything_."

"He does have a point there," stated Mello, matter-of-factly.

"Two sides of chocolate sauce coming right up," said the waitress, tiredly.

"You mean syrup," pointed out Mello.

"Yes syrup," said the waitress, "Is that it?"

"Yes, that will be all, thank you," said Watari, effectively ending the ordering sequence. The waitress cast him a grateful glance before hurrying off to the kitchen to put in their convoluted orders.

Once the waitress had gone, each member of the Wammy house crew turned back to the table as if nothing strange had happened at all. Mello peeled back the wrapper on a new bar of chocolate, Matt reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a game system, and Near commenced stacking sugar packets in a makeshift tower. Watari got up and excused himself to the bathroom.

"We don't go out to dinner much," explained L, bringing a hand up to pick at his lips. Light hated when L ruined his lips like that (even if he did look damn cute in the process). He grabbed the detective's hand in one of his own, quickly lacing their fingers together and pulling the other boys hand back down to rest on the bench beneath the table.

L looked up at Light, surprised, before twisting his features into an innocent smile. This caused a faint blush to brush Light's cheekbones, one that only deepened when he noticed Mello choking on his candy bar behind a barely concealed laugh. Light shot a glare at the leather-clad kid across the table. Matt was watching the whole transaction with a slight blush of his own and Near paid no heed whatsoever.

"Holding hands with Kira? There's got to be some law against that," snorted Mello, returning Light's glare, "You two look frickin' ridiculous by the way." For some reason this made Matt blush even deeper as he turned his eyes back down embarrassedly to his game.

"I have already told you Mello," said L calmly, "Light is not-"

**Bang. **L was cut off as the sound of a gunshot rang through the restaurant. People screamed. Matt and Mello exchanged wide-eyed glances and Near stared resolutely towards the door.

"Nobody fuckin' move," growled a voice from somewhere behind Light. He and L turned slowly in their seats to see a man with long, lank brown hair and a scruffy beard standing slightly hunched in the center of the main dining room. He had a gun cradled in his arms. People sitting at the tables around him were shocked into stillness, staring wide-eyed at the criminal before them. People in the booths off to the sides were slowly sinking in their seats, as if hoping the cover of a flimsy, plastic table would save them from this madman.

A madman that Light immediately recognized.

Light had told L that he had completely given up being Kira, but that was not completely the case. He couldn't stand not knowing what wrongdoings were happening in the world, so every day he religiously and covertly checked the news, specifically looking for criminals Kira would have killed off. Keeping track of their names and faces, Light remembered each and every one in the vast storage space that was his mind. Kira had become a game for him, an obsession. One that even six months spent with L could not cure.

Of course, L knew none of this. He thought that Light had given up the killing and trusted him because of that. And now Light was stuck between a rock and a hard place – or maybe just a detective and a not-quite-eradicated, hidden, sadistic streak. Light disentangled his fingers from L's and thumbed nervously at his watch.

"Now nobody move and I might consider letting some of you live," said the escaped convict that Light recognized as the homicidal murderer, Thomas Judd. "That includes you missy," he added, waving his gun towards the doors to the kitchen where their waitress had just appeared looking extremely frightened. "Tell your little friends back there that if I hear sirens people are going to start dying."

She nodded, face white, and ducked back through the doors. The madman whirled around. "Anyone got a problem with that?" he growled, an insane lilt marring his voice. Some people shook their heads, but most just looked down. Light and L both averted their gazes as well. In fact, the only one still looking seemed to be…

"What are you looking at, you albino freak?" yelled the madman. Of course Near, with his innocent calmness, continued to stare at the man with his sharp gray eyes. Eyes that would unnerve a normal person and apparently send a crazed criminal off the deep end.

Near said nothing and didn't bother to avert his gaze. Matt and Mello had pushed themselves so far into the corner that they were practically on top of each other.

"You little punk," growled the madman as he stormed over to their table, "I asked you a question."

"I am looking at you," said Near calmly, looking up at the criminal.

"Oh, so you think you're funny?" said the man with a crazed and spastic laugh, "Doesn't everyone think he's _so _funny?" Some people around the restaurant laughed nervously.

**Bang. **The gun fired and the bullet went straight into the ceiling. White dust floated lazily down onto Near and Judd's unharmed heads.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," said Near.

"Good," said the man, "'Cause you weren't." And with that he snatched the back of Near's collar and dragged him out towards the center of the restaurant. "But we don't tolerate wise asses here, do we?" He leaned in close to a lady at a center table as if he was asking her specifically and she broke down into tears.

"Answer the question, or I'll shoot you," said the madman to the lady and she quickly opened her mouth to answer, but was obviously too overwhelmed to get the words out. "You've got to the count of three," the murderer growled, "One, Two, Th-"

"Your logic is very flawed," piped Near, quietly, the madman's hand still clamped tightly around the back of his collar. Judd looked down at the boy, almost as if he were surprised that he was still holding on to him.

"You want to run that by me again, Whitey?" growled the man.

"Gladly," said Near, as if he were talking to an old friend rather than a crazed, escaped convict. "You said that you would shoot her if she didn't answer the question. If you deem that she fails, she dies, thus leaving you to find a new person to ask. But what then? If everybody fails to answer the question you are left an unanswered question and a lot of blood on your hands. At best your logic is circular, viciously, viciously, circular."

The madman gaped at the albino boy, as if trying to process what he had just said.

"It would prove far more useful to you to use a hostage instead," said Near.

"You wanna volunteer?" asked Judd.

"Not particularly, no."

"Well you should have thought of that be-" The madman choked on his words, grip slackening. Near slid to the floor as Judd staggered forward, clutching one hand to his heart. He fell to his knees and then flat on his face. He didn't get back up.

But Light didn't see any of this.

Light stopped listening shortly after Near's little outburst. The similarity of the little albino to L was enough to kick gears of Light's mind into motion. He realized what he needed to do.

He also realized he may lose L in the process. Kira may have killed the innocent as a means to an end, but Light was no longer Kira. And he wasn't about to let this little L lookalike get killed. Near was innocent, Judd was not. In Light's mind there was only one thing to do.

Light flipped open his watch with a quiet snick. But not quiet enough. L, Mello, and Matt all tore their eyes from their orphanage brother to watch Light pull a piece of paper from his watch. A piece of the Death Note. He could feel three pairs of eyes boring into him as he produced a pen from his jacket and began scratching down a name: _Thomas Judd_.

Moments later, Judd had fallen. Died of a heart attack. Near was safe. Everyone was safe. _But would that make his lies vindicated to L?_ Light wondered, glancing around nervously. The entire restaurant had gone into an uproarious state, the cacophony of tearful, shaky laughs and yells ringing through the room. Well, except for their table.

Mello looked furious, Matt a mix between afraid and relieved. L seemed to be refusing to look at him. Near made his way back over to the table and sat down silently. Light opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it again. He had lied to L and just revealed to the world's top detectives that he was Kira. Really, what was there to say?

Fortunately (or rather, unfortunately) Mello saved him the trouble. "You're dating Kira?" said the blonde to L in a tone that sounded a mix of fury and smug. Light half-expected an 'I told you so' to come next.

But it didn't and L's response took so long to come that Light had to physically resist the urge to sink down in his seat and hide his face in his hands.

And when it finally did, Light was extremely surprised. "I don't care that Light-kun is Kira," said L thoughtfully, "I didn't during the investigation and I don't now." L turned in his perched position, knees drawn up, and looked at Light. The whole commotion of the rest of the restaurant suddenly seemed very far away.

"You don't?" said both Light and Mello at the same time, although in very different tones; Light's voice came out unintentionally weak, while Mello's verged on a screech so high that Light was sure only dogs would be able to hear it if the decibel at all increased.

"No I don't," said the detective definitively, "What I do care about, though, is that Light-kun didn't tell me." He looked up at Light through his mess of black hair, wide eyes very innocent. "I noticed that you were keeping track of criminals, but I had hoped that Light-kun would tell me himself if he was still using the Death Note to kill them."

"I hadn't killed any until today!" said Light defensively, and then hung his head in shame. Sure he hadn't _used _the Death Note, but it had always been there as an option. An option he never told the L about. "I'm sorry," said Light quietly, not meeting the other detective's eyes.

"And I forgive you," said L and Light looked up surprised. He was even more surprised when he saw that the black-haired boy was smiling. "You did save Near's life and the lives of many people in this restaurant. And even though you didn't tell me about the Death Note pages you kept originally, you're my boyfriend now, and I think that's what people in relationships do. Forgive each other and work things out."

Light didn't bother to point out that most relationships probably did not have the problem of the Death Note. Instead he took L's hands in his own, pulled them to his lips, and kissed them.

L smiled at this. "I love you, Light-kun," he said.

"I will always love you, L," said Light, and with that he lowered their hands and leaned forward, kissing the other boy full on the lips. Soon enough, L melted into Light's embrace and wound his own hands up around Light's neck, knotting his fingers through the boy's auburn hair. It felt simply wonderful.

That is until Mello chimed in with a callous yell of, "For Christ's sake, get a room. No one needs to see you, L, and your psychopathic, murdering, homo, lover get it on. That's just un-" –**Smack**.

Light and L broke apart to see Mello, mouth agape, face red, and Matt looking a little horrorstruck at his own raised hand, but that emotion seemed to be quickly eradicated by anger.

"Shut up," said Matt evenly, "Just shut up about them."

Mello opened his mouth as if to say something snarky, but closed it again, apparently thinking better of it. He seemed to realize that something he said struck a nerve in the goggle-wearing kid and seemed to be almost sorry about it.

"Matt I-" Mello started to say, harsh tone and attitude dropped, but was cut off as Matt crushed his lips to the blonde's. Mello seemed startled at first, but quickly relaxed, obviously not hating the experience.

Light tore his eyes from the new couple and looked at L, raising an eyebrow as if to ask, _What is that all about? _L just shrugged and leaned forward to place a kiss on Light's cheek before leaning his head on Light's shoulder. Light smiled at this, absently stroking L's mess of black hair and trying not to look at the pair opposite him who seemed to forgotten about the others' presence all together.

Near was taking all of this very well – or at least Light thought so as he was ignoring all of them and had returned to stacking his sugar packets in a very L-like manner.

After a few more moments of the group sitting in their odd form of peace, Watari returned from the restroom. Matt and Mello broke apart, looking a mix between feverishly happy and shamelessly guilty. Matt's face was nearly as red as his hair and Mello's once sleek hair was irrevocably mussed.

Watari surveyed the scene in the restaurant calmly before turning back to their table and saying, "I can't take you guys anywhere, can I?"

To which Near responded with a definite, "No, you cannot," without even looking up from his makeshift tower, which had grown to more of a complex fortress within a span of what seemed like mere moments.

"I thought not," responded Watari, and Light was somewhat impressed with his ability to keep the tiredness from his voice. "Come on let's go, before the police get here" he continued, "I don't need any of you expanding your criminal records any further." He glanced pointedly at Matt and Mello, who, in turn, looked at each other with huge grins across their faces.

Watari sighed as he ushered his charges out of the booth.

"So what do you think of my family, Light-kun?" asked L quietly as they climbed out of the booth.

Light contemplated that a moment. They were definitely weird, there was no doubt about that. But then again, so was L, and Light had no doubt that this makeshift family had something to do with that. And he wouldn't want L to be any other way.

Light took L's hand in his own before replying, interlacing his fingers with the detective's and looking at him with a smile. "You know what, L? I think they're starting to grow on me."

And with that they left the restaurant, Matt and Mello snickering behind them as the cop cars screamed down the road towards the scene of the crime, Watari and Near ahead of them, deep in conversation about something that most people would be surprised that a kid as young as Near knew so much about, and Light and L, walking hand-in-hand, perfectly content at the heart.

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**I hope this was worth the wait! Let me know what you think ^_^  
**


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